Making the transition to RAW

I'm making the transition from shooting in JPEG to shooting in RAW, and had some questions about the implications of this for both camera settings and post-processing in Lightroom.

1. First was the need to add Camera Calibration in Lightroom, as the Adobe Standard profile was very washed out. I was wondering what you usually go for in Camera Calibration? I'll probably start on Camera Standard and apply this as a preset during import.

2. Second was this article, about the information that isn't contained in RAW files:

I'm interested in particular in the facts that Active D-Lighting and Sharpening are both discarded. Does this mean that it's better to turn Active D-Lighting off entirely? Is it okay to keep it on?

3. Do you have a standard Sharpening amount and settings in Lightroom that you apply on import to every image? I assume extra sharpening is needed as in the RAW file sharpening is discarded (vs. the JPEG, where it is not)

4. Finally, are there any other implications for the camera settings on my D5100 in making the transition to shooting in RAW, rather than shooting in JPEG? I must admit, back in the days with my D40 I followed the set-up guide of K*n R***w**l who provides what every beginner photography secretly craves - a step by step guide through every menu item on your new camera. Is there something like this you would recommend for RAW only shooters? If not, that's fine!